纸之月2014

　　本片是《天堂的孩子》导演马吉德·马吉迪的处女作。原名《巴都客》，指的是伊朗东南部邻近巴基斯坦边界的一批走私客。这批可怜人有老有少，每天顶着烈日风沙和被军警追捕的危险，像野狗般在荒凉的沙漠上流窜。十岁出头的男孩佳发，正是其中的一位可怜人。佳发因为父亲挖井暴毙，跟妹妹佳玛在流浪途中被人口贩子诱骗。佳发被卖给走私贩阿布多拉，佳玛则卖给阿拉伯人。在佳发的小小心灵中，一直念念不忘的心愿是将佳玛找到兄妹团圆。为了达到心愿，佳发过了一段典型的苦儿流浪记生活。

　　迷幻少女遇著過氣公安老頭，未必是貓捉老鼠累鬥累，也可以是從老前輩身上學會認識自己。阿 P 為追阿初欠她的債，偶然與阿初的外公相遇，兩個生活態度南轅北轍的人，就是這樣在荒謬的處境中相互學習。阿P在當中看見年青一代的無奈：十六歲的迷途青春、愛情的無助、軟性毒品的蠶食、面對父母失敗的婚姻、自己渾噩的前途....阿初無故失蹤，又是否因抵受不了同樣殘酷的青春？世情像玻璃，有時看得透，有時不，相同的只是：兩者同樣冰冷易碎。
　　The second feature from Hong Kong indie director Carol Lai is about the vulnerability of youth, made even more fragile by the vulnerable world of the adults. Grandpa Wu used to be a policeman in Mainland China and has now retired to a life of seclusion on an outlying island. One day, her daughter calls him up and reports that his granddaughter Ah Cho is again missing. The old man hits the road again, in search of the young girl. Then P, Ah Cho's best friend, emerges out of nowhere and heads Wu's search, leading the old man into a series of strange encounters in the uncharted world of frustrated youth.
　　Source: 25th HKIFF (2001)

　　Summary
　　Bullied by his matriarchal mother, abused by his siblings, ignored by his father, Poil de Carotte's childhood is as miserable as it could be. An illegitimate child, he is the main reason for the enmity which exists between his parents, who continue to live together just to keep up appearances. In the end, Poil de Carotte's suffering becomes more than he can bear...
　　Review
　　Drawing heavily on the poignant novel by Jules Renard on which it is based, Poil de carotte is a modest yet appealing film which has stood the test of time mainly because of the quality of its acting performances and its inherent humanity. It is more memorable than Julien Duvivier's earlier silent version of 1925, also named Poil de Carotte.
　　The part of Poil de Carotte was played by 11 year old Robert Lynen, who was alleged to have been discovered whilst walking down the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Lynen is totally captivating and the film made him an instant star, launching what looked like becoming a very promising film career – until he was shot dead whilst fighting against the Germans in 1944. Harry Baur, a legendary stage and film actor (who also died during World War II, allegedly at the hands of the Gestapo), also turns in a typically fine performance. The reconciliation between father and son at the end of the film provides its most enduring image, enough to melt the heart of all but the most stoical of spectators.

1999年，技艺精湛的珠宝设计师，启程前往纽约展出他最新的作品。启程前他回到故乡探访，此行唤起了他25年前的夏日恋曲，回忆起年少时邂逅了对他影响深远的40岁的女裁缝师。两人之间横跨二十岁年龄差距的姊弟恋，让这段恋情注定是场无果的爱情悲剧。他决心改变命运，试图重写他的人生故事，却意外发现一个惊人的秘密。他的爱能超越时间的界限，还是终将永远被埋没？